69. Preparation for Generating Bodhicitta IV — Rejoicing
Longchen Nyingtik Meditation 69
The Beginning
Take refuge and arouse bodhicitta.
The Main Part
Recall the Buddha’s virtuous activities of turning the Dharma wheel to liberate sentient beings, the various manifestations of Bodhisattvas in the six realms to bring welfare to all beings, and the positive actions of ordinary beings, those of mundane merit and those leading to liberation. Think about whatever good deeds you yourself have engaged in the past, are engaging at present (such as listening to a Dharma discourse right now), and will certainly do in the future (such as you’ll recite the Samantabhadra’s Aspiration in dedication at the end of the class). To any and all of these sources of good, you rejoice sincerely, missing none.
Finally, rest in a state without any conceptualization or grasping.
Reminder
If you follow this instruction and practice sincerely, over time you’ll experience signs of successful meditation. In terms of outer signs, at night you may dream about wearing a white garment or receiving blessings from Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, and during the day you feel joyful. As to inner signs, you experience a heightened devotion, renunciation, and so forth, you relate to the world in a fitting and harmonious way, and your mind remains imperturbable when encountering any kind of person.
For seasoned practitioners, no task can make them unhappy. They’re eager to volunteer when needed; they’re enthusiastic to meditate whenever there’s an opportunity; they’re happy to have food; they’re also happy to have no food. In all, the more advanced they are in practice, the less fussy they become about life’s amenities. Such spiritual adepts no longer perceive this person as nasty or that person as wicked. They don’t criticize people and situations, and will never voice a complaint. Even if they were put in jail, they would still maintain a positive attitude in considering incarceration as a kind of “retreat”.
The Ending
Dedicate the merit in a state of seeing everything as a magical illusion and as a dream.
